Automatic divergent sorting and gauging screw roller



Aug. 12, 1947.

M. LAWTON E TAL AUTOMATIC DIVERGENT SORTING AND GAUGING SCREW ROLLER Filed Se t. 6, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l x I 'uvmvrox. MAxwEu. mo Pump Rosenseae Patented Aug. 12, l47

AUTOMATIC DIVERGENT SORTING AND GAUGING SCREW ROLLER Maxwell Lawton and Philip Rosenberg, Buffalo, N. Y., assignors to Howard Industries, Inc.,

Application September 6, 1944, Serial No. 552,884

6 Claims.

This invention relates to sorting apparatus and particularly to a machine for automatically se regating articles according to linear dimensions thereof.

According to the present invention means are provided whereby a mixed mass of objects to be sorted according to overall length or a length dimension are automatically and positively fed progressively along until each object reaches its predetermined length station, whereupon the particular object falls to a suitable receptacle, separate receptacles being provided for receiving objects of each particular length dimension.

In general, sorting devices of this general character in the prior art have relied upon gravity feeding, usually accompanied by agitation, and very haphazard results are obtained. Other practical objections to sorting devices now generally in use are known to those skilled in the present art and the manner in which the presently proposed apparatus eliminates such objections and presents other advantages will be clear from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and the following description of a detailed embodiment of the invention, It is to be understood, however, that various mechanical modifications may be introduced without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of one form of the device of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view taken from the deliver end;

Fig. 4 is a detailed fragmentary cross sectional view through the object-supporting means of Figs. 1 through 3; and

Fig. 5 is a similar view of an alternative objectsupporting arrangement.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings like characters of reference denote like parts and the numeral I0 designates a relatively elongated base member which may be provided with supporting legs I l as indicated fragmentarily in Fig. 1. As viewed in Fig. 1,the left hand end of the apparatus is the entry end and objects to be sorted move to the right during operation. As viewed in Fig. 2, the right hand end s the entry end and objects move to the left during sorting.

As a specific example of the use of the present device, reference will be had to headed screws, but it is to be understood that the basic principles disclosed herein may be adapted to various sorting operations'where a linear dimension is the controlling factor and dimensions other than overall length may be the determining dimensions.

Referring to Figs. 1 through 3, upstandingsupports l3 and it are provided at the entry end of base in and similar supports 15 and I6 are provided at the opposite end. The supports 13 and 15 support a screw ll which is formed with a thread of arcuate form to support an object in the root thereof. The particular form of the thread may be widely varied, depending upon the kind and shape of the object to be sorted. A companion screw I8 is disposed alongside screw H and cooperates therewith in supporting the objects being sorted. Screw I3 is carried by supports I4 and it.

Each of the screws I1 and I8 has universal joints 20 at its opposite ends. The axis of screw l1 may be relatively fixed, so that supports l3 and I5 may be permanently secured to the base it and bearings 2| and 22 provided in supports I3 and [5 respectively receive journals 23 and 24 extending from the universal joints 2!! of screw H. It is desired thatthe axis of rotation of screw 18 be readily adjustable with respect to screw l1 and to this end the supports l4 and I6 are arranged to be laterally adjustable on base l0.

As appears from Figs. 2 and 3, the base to is provided with transverse grooves 26 and 21 for receiving the lower ends of supports l4 and 16. The base plate ID has a marginal flange 28 and screws 30 and 31 associated rigidly with supports 14 and I6 pass freely through openings in flange 28. Adjusting nuts 34 are provided for locking the screws 30 and 31 in any desired adjusted position whereby the transverse disposition of each of the supports I4 and 16 may be varied at will.

It is likewise desired that at least one end of screw l8 be independently adjustable in a vertical direction. The universal joints 2|] at opposite ends of screw 18 have journal portions 38 and 39 projecting therefrom. The journal 38 may have bearing directly in the support [4 but journal 39 rests in a bearing block 48 which is mounted for vertical adjustment in a slot 4| formed in support IS. A screw 42, rigid with respect to bearing block 40, extends freely through an opening in the upper end of support I 6 and proper vertical positioning of bearing block '40 is maintained by means of lock nuts 44.

It will be noted that journal 38 is free to move axially in its bearing in support [4 to compensate for variation in effective length brought about by lateral and vertical adjustments of the position of journal 39.

In the structure of Figs. 1 through 3 stop means in the form of a supporting rail 48 is provided for disposition adjacent screw l8 to cooperate. therewith and with the screw I! to support objects being sorted. A typical relative adjusted re- 7 lationship between screws l1 and I8 and rail 48 is illustrated schematically in Fig. 4 wherein the greater elevation of screw [1 causes the objects being sorted'to rest firmly against rail 48 under the force of gravity.

So that rail 48 may be adjusted to accommo date different positions of screw l8, and so that rail 48 may also be adjusted to relatively different relationships with respect to rail Hi, to suit objects of varying size and shape, it is hinged at its opposite ends as at 50 and 5|. The hinge 50 is carried by a bracket 52 which is slotted to receive a retaining nut and bolt assembly 53. By loosenj ing the nut and bolt assembly the bracket 52 'may be raised or lowered. or pivoted to secure lateral adjustment. To compensate for variations in effective length of rail 48 in various positions of adjustment, its opposite end is hinged to a link plate 55 which is in turn hinged to a bracket 56, the bracket 56 being secured to support l6 by a nut and bolt assembly 51, for adjustment in a manner similar to that described for bracket 52.

It will be noted thatscrews H and I8, and in the instance illustrated by way of example, have left hand threads and are arranged to rotate in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4. This mode of rotation causes the objects supported thereby, in Fig. 4 a screw A by way of example, to be held by a light frictional urge against rail 48. Objects are placed in the position shown in Fig. 4 at the right hand end of the.

apparatus as viewed in Fig. 2. Rotation of the screws I! and [8 moves the objects in uniform parallel condition along the screws until the divergence of the screws is such that objects fall 7 between them into various receptacles 68, each rotatable upon an arm H for maintaining proper tension in the driving chain 62. Adjustment of the roller 10, particularly when the relative spacing of journals 24 and 39 is adjusted, is effected by loosening a nut and bolt assembly 14 which normally rigidly secures arm H to support 16.

Fig. 5 illustrates an alternative construction wherein screws 85 and 8! correspond to the screws l1 and I8 of the primary embodiment but wherein a third screw 82 is substituted for the rail 48. The desired direction of rotation of the screws 80, 81 and 12 in the particular instance illustrated in Fig. 5 is indicated by the arrows.

While a complete and workable embodiment is shown in detail, it is considered obvious 'to those skilled in the art that, while in Figs. 1 through 3 only certain of the journals are adjustable and at least one is adjustable only in a horizontal direction, all or any further number of the journals which support the screws l1 and I8 may be 1. Sorting apparatus comprising a pair of ad- '4 jacent screws for supporting objects disposed thereacross with the objects resting in the spaces between threads of the screws, said screws being divergent and one of said screws being at a higher elevation than the other to urge the objects by gravity toward the other screw, means cooperating with the other screw for engaging the objects to limit their gravitational movement'and orient a given end of each object into alignment with the others, and means for rotating said screws to move objects therealong in the direction of divergence until individual objects fall clear of the screws assorted as to a length dimension.

2.. Sorting apparatus comprising a pair of adjacent screws for supporting objects disposed thereacross with the objects resting in the spaces between threads of the screws, said screws being divergent, and means for rotating said screws so as to urge the objects by friction toward one of the screws, and means cooperating with said one screw for engaging the objects to limit their frictional lateral movement and 'orienta given end of each object into alignment with the others, said rotation of the screws resulting in movement of the objects in the direction of divergence of the screws until the degree of divergence permits individual objects to fall clear of the screws for sorting 'as to a length dimension. 7

3. Sorting apparatus comprising a pair, of screws having their axes of rotation horizontally divergent and the axis of one at a higher elevation than that of the other and stop means extending along said other screw adjacent thereto,

whereby objects to be sorted according to a length dimension may be arranged to rest transversely across said screws with a corresponding end of each abutting said stop means, means for synchronously rotating said screws whereby the objects are moved uniformly along said screws by the threads thereof, and means for selectively adjusting the aXis of one of said screws for varying the relative vertical relationship of the screw s. 4. Sorting apparatus comprising -a pair of screws having their axes of rotation horizontally divergent and the axis of one at a higher elevation than that of the other'and stop means ex-,

tending along said other screw adjacent thereto, whereby objects to be sorted according to a length dimension may be arranged to rest transversely across said screws with a corresponding end of each abutting said stop means, means for synchronously rotating said screws whereby the objects are moved uniformly along said screws by the threads thereof, and means for selectively adjusting the axis of one of said screws for varying thedegree of divergence of said screws. 5. Sorting apparatus comprising a pair of screws having their axes of rotation horizontally divergent and the axis of oneat a higher elevation than that of the other and stop means extending along said other screw adjacent thereto, whereby objects to be sorted according to a length dimension may be arranged to rest transversely across said screws with a corresponding end of each abutting said stop means, means for synchronously rotating said screws whereby the objects are moved uniformlyalong said screws by the threads thereof, and means for adjusting the relative disposition of the aXes of, said screws both vertically and horizontally, whereby to vary the relative elevational disposition and the degree of divergence of said screws.

6. Sorting apparatus comprising a pair of screws having their axes of rotation horizontally divergent andstop means extending along one of said screws adjacent thereto, whereby objects to be sorted according to a length dimension may be arranged to rest transversely across said screws, means for synchronously rotating said screws so that the top surface of both are continuously moving laterally toward said stop means to frictionally urge said objects into abutment with aid stop means and whereby the objects are moved uniformly along said screws by the threads thereof, and means for selectively adjusting the relative horizontal disposition of the axes of said screws to vary the degree of divergence thereof.

MAXWELL LAWTON. PHILIP ROSENBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,356,203 Birdsall Aug.' 22, 1944 440,673 Wheeler Nov. 18, 1890 1,737,438 Stearns Nov. 26, 1929 1,882,130 Fielder Oct. 11, 1932 1,350,794 Eby Aug. 24, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 146,745 Germany Dec. 23, 1903 

